<Header>
<Author: 杜甫>
<Title: 贈衛八處士>
<Format: 格式不明>
<Year: 1947>
<BookName: THE WHITE PONY: An Anthology of Chinese Poetry from the Earliest Times to the Present Day, Newly Translated>
<Translator: Robert Payne>
<TranslatedTitle: A MEETING>
<BookPage: 200>
<UsedPage: 1>
<Feature: 0>
<End Header>
<Poem>
人生不相見，
動如參與商。
今夕復何夕，
共此燈燭光。
少壯能幾時，
鬢髮各已蒼。
訪舊半爲鬼，
驚呼熱中腸。
焉知二十載，
重上君子堂。
昔別君未婚，
兒女忽成行。
怡然敬父執，
問我來何方。
問荅乃未已，
兒女羅酒漿。
夜雨剪春韭，
新炊間黃粱。
主稱會面難，
一舉累十觴。
十觴亦不醉，
感子故意長。
明日隔山岳，
世事兩茫茫。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
We were often separated
Like the Dipper and the Morning Star.
What night is tonight?
We are together in the candlelight.
How long does youth last?
Now we are all grey-haired.
Half of our friends are dead,
And both of us were surprised when we met.
Who would know that after twenty years
I would call upon you in your hall?
You were not married when we last parted,
And now you have sons and daughters,
Who come courteously to greet their father's friend,
And ask me where I come from.
While we are thus greeting each other,
Your sons and daughters begin to prepare the wine:
They gather the spring spinach on this rainy night,
And prepare for the feast with new-made ale.
You said: It is a heavenly chance that we meet.
With a single breath we drank ten pots of wine.
I am not drunk, even though I have drunk all this wine.
I commend you for your courteous friendship.
Tomorrow there will be mountains between us,
Nor you nor I knows what will come.
<End Translation>